Prenatal meditation influences infant behaviors

• Published in: Infant behavior & development Vol. 37; no. 4; pp. 556 - 561
• Main Author: Chan, Ka Po
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Amsterdam Elsevier Inc 01.11.2014; Elsevier
• Subjects: Adult; Asian Continental Ancestry Group; Behaviors; Biological and medical sciences; Child development; Cord blood cortisol; Developmental psychology; Female; Fetal Blood - chemistry; Fetus; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; Health; Hong Kong; Humans; Hydrocortisone - blood; Infant; Infant Behavior - physiology; Infant, Newborn; Male; Maternal; Meditation; Meditation - psychology; Mindfulness; Newborn. Infant; Pregnancy; Pregnancy Outcome; Prenatal; Prenatal Exposure Delayed Effects - psychology; Psychology. Psychoanalysis. Psychiatry; Psychology. Psychophysiology; Social Environment; Socioeconomic Factors; Temperament; Hong Kong; Prenatal; Pregnancy; Maternal; Meditation; Health; Behaviors; Fetus; Infant; Cord blood cortisol; Temperament; Human; Personality; Hydrocortisone; Glucocorticoid; Adrenal hormone; Behavior
• ISSN: 0163-6383; 1879-0453; 1934-8800
• DOI: 10.1016/j.infbeh.2014.06.011

•Prenatal meditation has positive effect on newborn health.•Prenatal meditation has positive effect on infant temperament.•Pregnancy care providers should provide prenatal meditation to pregnant women. Meditation is important in facilitating health. Pregnancy health has been shown to have significant consequences for infant behaviors. In view of limited studies on meditation and infant temperament, this study aims to explore the effects of prenatal meditation on these aspects. The conceptual framework was based on the postulation of positive relationships between prenatal meditation and infant health. A randomized control quantitative study was carried out at Obstetric Unit, Queen Elizabeth Hospital in Hong Kong. 64 pregnant Chinese women were recruited for intervention and 59 were for control. Outcome measures were cord blood cortisol, infant salivary cortisol, and Carey Infant Temperament Questionnaire. Cord blood cortisol level of babies was higher in the intervention group (p<0.01) indicates positive health status of the newborns verifies that prenatal meditation can influence fetal health. Carey Infant Temperament Questionnaire showed that the infants of intervention group have better temperament (p<0.05) at fifth month reflects the importance of prenatal meditation in relation to child health. Present study concludes the positive effects of prenatal meditation on infant behaviors and recommends that pregnancy care providers should provide prenatal meditation to pregnant women.